NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
390 reports32,468 miles · Oct 13, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
TOOK VEHICLE IN TO REPAIR SHOP AFTER NOTICING AN OIL LEAK. THEY TOLD ME AT FIRST IT WAS NORMAL LEAKING FROM ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. THEN THANKSGIVING DAY 2001, AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (75 MPH) THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. OIL WENT EVERY WHERE. I HAD OIL EVEN IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM. TOOK TO MY PERSONAL MECHANIC, HE TOLD ME HE HAS SEEN THIS MA…
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TOOK VEHICLE IN TO REPAIR SHOP AFTER NOTICING AN OIL LEAK. THEY TOLD ME AT FIRST IT WAS NORMAL LEAKING FROM ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. THEN THANKSGIVING DAY 2001, AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (75 MPH) THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. OIL WENT EVERY WHERE. I HAD OIL EVEN IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM. TOOK TO MY PERSONAL MECHANIC, HE TOLD ME HE HAS SEEN THIS MANY TIMES BEFORE WITH NEON'S. FINAL PRICE TO FIX PROBLEM 987.36, HEAD GASKET REPLACED COOLANT SYSTEM FLUSHED OUT, ETC. NOW I NEED A NEW RADIATOR BECAUSE OF IT. SEEMS TO BE COMMON WITH THIS YEAR OF VEHICLE. MY FRIEND HAD A 1998 DODGE NEON THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS RECALLED IN AND SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT FIXED FOR FREE. OBVIOUSLY FOR CONSUMER SATISFACTION IT WOULD BE IN CHRYSLERS BEST INTEREST TO ACKNOWLEDGE, AT THE VERY LEAST, THAT THEY HAVE PRODUCED A LESS THAN SATISFACTORY ENGINE COMPONENT IN THE 1997 NEON. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THAT SOME OF THE MONEY, IF NOT ALL, IS REFUNDED BACK TO US. OTHERWISE I AM SATISFIED WITH MY NEON. IT IS OUT OF COMMISSION RIGHT NOW DUE TO NEEDING A WATER PUMP. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE DECEMBER 20TH, 1996 AND HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10095692
Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKET FAILED ALTHOUGH IT ONLY HAD 44000 MILES ON IT. *NM *SC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10095267
10,000 miles · Aug 29, 2004
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
BRAKES SQUEL AND MAKE NOISE, CAR WON'T STOP ABOVE 50 MPH IN SAFE DISTANCE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10088775
Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
THE CAR STARTED LEAKING OIL X 2 MONTHS. KEPT OVERHEATING AFTER 20 MINUTES OF RUNNING. ALLE THE RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED OUT. HAD RADIATOR FIXED. CONTINUED TO OVERHEAT, TOLD IT WAS FAN RELAY. HAD THAT REPLACED. NOW TOLD THAT IT WAS THE GASKET. THAT IT HAD A LEAK AND NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SOME THING ABOUT THE ALUMINUM.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10086871
Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2004
Unknown Or Other
PROBLEM WITH 1997 DODGE NEON.*MR *NM
NHTSA ODI #10082046
Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting
VEHICLE'S BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED.*MR THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS A BAD BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, THREE TURN SIGNAL SWITCHES, A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, STICKING THROTTLE BODY, AN OIL PAN LEAK, ALL FOUR WINDOWS HAD AN AIR LEAK WHICH WHISTLE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AT HIGH SPEEDS. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10079946
72,000 miles · Jun 8, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH HEAD GASKET AND FUEL PUMP FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT VEHICLE OVER EATED. DEALER REPLACED THE PARTS, AND 2 1/2 YEARS LATER ,THE SAME PARTS FAILED AGAIN. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10075856
44,438 miles · Jun 4, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
THE CONSUMER SAW OIL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE MECHANIC DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK ON JUNE 3RD 2002, THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION RE-BUILT. THE MAIN GEAR HAD A CRACK IN THE CASTING AND STARTED TO LOOSE TEETH. …
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THE CONSUMER SAW OIL LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO A HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE MECHANIC DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK ON JUNE 3RD 2002, THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION RE-BUILT. THE MAIN GEAR HAD A CRACK IN THE CASTING AND STARTED TO LOOSE TEETH. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE CASING OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS WET. THE HEADS OF THE ENGINE WERE WARPED. THE DEALERS IN BOTH CASE ONLY CHANGED THE GASKET AND NOT CHECKING TO SEE IF THE HEAD WAS WARPED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS COLD IN THE MORNING, IT WOULDN'T ENGAGE IN REVERSE FOR UP TO 30 SECONDS, THEN CLUNKS IN HARD AND IF DRIVING WHEN STILL COLD, IT SEEMED TO SHIFT IN AND OUT OF GEAR. (AND SHIFTS HARD FROM 2ND TO 3RD AND OVER REVS IN 2ND PRIOR TO SHIFTING) *SC *JB
NHTSA ODI #10065182
Mileage unknown · May 10, 2004
Tires
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY, BOTH FRONT TIRES, DEFLATED DUE TO LOST AIR PRESSURE. THE DRIVER NOTICED A BUBBLE LOCATED ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE TIRE. THE DRIVER CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED TH…
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WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY, BOTH FRONT TIRES, DEFLATED DUE TO LOST AIR PRESSURE. THE DRIVER NOTICED A BUBBLE LOCATED ON THE INNER SIDE OF THE TIRE. THE DRIVER CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THESE TIRES WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL. COOPER TIRES TREND SETTER SE P18565R14/#DOT 7JCZH3900D2R. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10073352
Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
1997 DODGE NEON, COLOR LAPUIS BLUE, I AM THE ORIGINAL AND ONLY OWNER. NOT ONLY HAVE I HAD A SERIES OF ENGINE REPAIRS BETWEEN 40,000 TO 80,000 MILES, THE SAME AS I'VE READ ON DOZEN'S OF OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, I NOW HAVE THE PEELING LAPUIS BLUE PAINT WHICH STARTED SLOWLY PEELING A YEAR AGO. THE PAINT NOW BLOWS OFF THE CAR AS …
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1997 DODGE NEON, COLOR LAPUIS BLUE, I AM THE ORIGINAL AND ONLY OWNER. NOT ONLY HAVE I HAD A SERIES OF ENGINE REPAIRS BETWEEN 40,000 TO 80,000 MILES, THE SAME AS I'VE READ ON DOZEN'S OF OTHER CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, I NOW HAVE THE PEELING LAPUIS BLUE PAINT WHICH STARTED SLOWLY PEELING A YEAR AGO. THE PAINT NOW BLOWS OFF THE CAR AS I DRIVE. THIS CAR HAS COST THE CONSUMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR ALL THE DEFECTS IN THIS CAR. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10066405
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